Sports is seen by society at large as an escape from the ills of the world at large. Then there are times where athletes in major sports decide to use their vast platform to bring about awareness that things must change.
The Minnesota Lynx showed just that, as prior to their Saturday night game on the road vs. the Dallas Wings, they wore shirts that read “Change starts with us—Justice and Accountability.”
Photo Credit: Minnesota Lynx
The back of the shirts had the names of Philando Castile and Alton Sterling who were shot to death by police officers the previous week. Also on the shirts was the shield of the Dallas Police Department, which lost five of its members in a mass shooting at a Black Lives Matter protest rally.
The phrase “Black Lives Matter” was also on the back of the shirts.
In the wake of the tragedies that have continued to plague our society, we have decided it is important to take a stand to raise our voices. Racial profiling is a problem. Senseless violence is a problem. The divide is way too big between our communities and those who have vowed to protect and serve us.
–Rebekkah Brunson
We as a nation can decide to stand up for what is right, no matter your race, background, or social status. It is time that we take a deep look at our ability to be compassionate an empathetic to those suffering from the problems that are deep within our society.
–Maya Moore
On Friday, the WNBA and NBA also released a joint statement in response to the events in Baton Rouge, St. Paul, and Dallas.
We offer our most sincere condolences to every family impacted by the recent tragic events in Baton Rouge, Dallas, and St. Paul. All of us are deeply troubled and concerned by the needless violence and loss of life, and we recognize that positive change starts with all of us standing up for the values we cherish—diversity, inclusiveness, and respect. We will keep these families in our thoughts as we continue to work to build stronger, safer communities.
By: Akiem Bailum (@AkiemBailum on Twitter, Instagram)
